[EricH]

I think we use Badge-A-Minit. If everything is lined up right, and you use the right amount of force (pushing way too hard is not good, for you or the button), then you should get decent buttons almost all the time.
Tip 1: Don't try to do it in 30 seconds. You probably have a 20% chance of getting a good one.
Tip 2: If a button isn't horribly mangled, but is unusable as a whole, you may be able to use the parts after separating them and checking them.
A typical button-making session: Students show up, button machine is there and ready. One student takes the machine (two if we are really pressed for time), everyone else grabs circle cutters (trust me, they're a lot easier than using scissors and more accurate) and starts cutting out circles or sorting out backs, fronts, and covers. Hours later, we run out of something or do an arbitrary stop, with lots of buttons in bags.